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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Final Democratic Debate Before Iowa; Iran Releases Americans in Prisoner Swap; Sanctions Lifted on Iran; Flint Water Crisis; Aired 4- 4:30a ET

Aired January 18, 2016 - 04:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[04:00:14] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: A high stakes clash at the Democratic presidential candidate debate. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders sharpening their attacks on each other and it got personal.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now. Three Americans freed from Iran on their way home. This as sanctions are lifted giving Iran access to the world marketplace.

What a busy day. Huge events. We have live team coverage breaking down the developments.

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm John Berman.

ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans. It is Monday, January 18th. It is 4:00 a.m. in the East.

Two weeks from today the first actual votes of the 2016 presidential contest will be cast in Iowa. And overnight the last head-to-head face-off between the democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, even Martin O'Malley, went at each other in exchanges that got downright testy. Clinton is trying to blunt a late surge from Sanders in the polls with attacks on gun control and health care and an embrace of President Obama's political legacy.

More now from senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: John and Christine, a lively democratic debate on Sunday night in Charleston, South Carolina. The final debate before Democratic voters make their choices in this primary race. Just two weeks from today, the Iowa caucuses, the New Hampshire primary just one week after that. So Bernie Sanders was trying to show that he is in contention for this fight. There is no doubt that he is locked in a close race with Hillary Clinton in Iowa, in New Hampshire, but he was on the defensive throughout the debate on health care, on guns. But here are a couple of exchanges that caught my attention throughout the debate. Senator Sanders likes to point out that he believes Hillary Clinton is too close to Wall Street.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't take money from big banks. I don't get personal speaking fees from Goldman Sachs. What I would do -- what I would do is understand that when you have three out of the four largest banks today bigger than they were when we bailed them out because they were too big to fail, when you have the six largest financial institutions having assets of 60 percent of the GDP of America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: And by pointing out that Secretary Clinton receives speaking fees from Goldman Sachs, boy, that is music to the ears of Senator Sanders' supporters. He is trying to make the argument she is too close to Wall Street. But Secretary Clinton had an argument of her own to use against Bernie Sanders. It was all about President Obama. She was trying to embrace the president so tightly throughout the whole evening. She said that the reason that she is supporting her health care plan is to defend his legacy.

She had some strong words for Bernie Sanders about his own questionable support for President Obama.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And President Obama has led our country out of the great recession. Senator Sanders called him weak, disappointing. He even, in 2011, publicly sought someone to run in a primary against President Obama.

Now I personally believe that President Obama's work to push through the Dodd-Frank -- the Dodd-Frank bill and then to sign it was one of the most important regulatory schemes we've had since the 1930s.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: Now of course Secretary Clinton is trying to keep some questions and concerns and doubts alive in the minds of voters, particularly from South Carolina, particularly African-American voters, by saying that Bernie Sanders did not support the president. Well, that is one of the strongest things you can say. Now Bernie Sanders came back and said, look, of course I supported this president. Of course I support President Obama.

But those were just a couple of exchanges in the course of the two- hour debate. Of course, Martin O'Malley was also on stage there. He is struggling in the polls. So this is a tight contest between Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, both of whom will be campaigning in Iowa and New Hampshire this week, two weeks before the voting begins -- John and Christine.

BERMAN: All right. Jeff Zeleny, thank you so much.

Again, this was the last head-to-head face-off before actual votes two weeks from today. What are the implications? Who emerges? The winner and loser.

Let's turn to CNN politics reporter Eric Bradner who joins us live now from Charleston, South Carolina, where that debate was held.

Eric, you know, this was a fascinating debate to see. And it was a fascinating lead-up to the debate. Bernie Sanders, just a couple of hours before the debate, finally released his health care plan, his Medicare for all plan which, you know, people estimate will cost more than $1 trillion a year. So on the debate stage, Hillary Clinton went right after him. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: I have to say I'm not sure whether we're talking about the plan you just introduced tonight or we're talking about the plan you introduced nine times in the Congress but the fact is we have the Affordable Care Act. That is one of the greatest accomplishments of President Obama, of the Democratic Party, and of our country.

[04:05:06] Now there are things we can do to improve it, but to tear it up and start over again pushing our country back into that kind of a contentious debate, I think is the wrong direction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: It was really interesting. She wasn't saying it was bad policy as much as bad politics. This whole debate she was painting herself as a pragmatist and sort of Bernie Sanders as a dreamer.

ERIC BRADNER, CNN POLITICS DIGITAL REPORTER: Yes, absolutely. She was wrapping her pragmatism in President Obama. It's hard for Clinton to really denounce the idea of Medicare for all, which is what Bernie Sanders was supposed to do. Because according to a Kaiser Foundation poll, 80 plus percent of Democrats actually support that idea.

So she's invoking the politics, sort of the memories of that 2009, 2010 knockdown drag-out fight and saying, you know, look, we don't want to do that again. We don't want to -- there's no way to actually pass something sweeping like that for Republicans in charge on Capitol Hill.

And so -- and yes, it was a night of (INAUDIBLE) versus pragmatism. And she was definitely sort of cloaking herself in President Obama to sort of connect his popularity with her argument that this isn't realistic.

ROMANS: And, Eric, and she was trying again on the gun issue to really show that she is more in step with the heart of the -- of the Democratic, rather, Party on guns than Bernie Sanders and his particular record. Let's listen to a little bit of an exchange about guns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANDERS: I think Secretary Clinton knows that what she says is very disingenuous. I have a D-minus voting record from the NRA.

CLINTON: I have made it clear based on Senator Sanders' own record that he has voted with the NRA, with the gun lobby numerous times. He voted against the Brady Bill five times. He voted for what we call the Charleston loophole. He voted to let guns go on Amtrak, guns go into national parks. He voted against doing research to figure out how we can save lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Is that working for her? Is that helping blunt his surge by continuing to highlight the big differences between the two on guns?

BRADNER: Well, listen, this debate happened a block away from the Emanuel AME Church where last year's racially motivated shooting took place. And what Hillary Clinton is trying to do right now is turn South Carolina in a bit of a firewall. If she were to lose Iowa and/or New Hampshire, she's hoping that the strong contingency of African-American voters here in South Carolina would be there to sort of help her at that point.

And so that's why Hillary Clinton is talking so much about gun control. Her wager is that it's an issue that is especially important to the African-American community. And so, you know, this is something where she is running to the left of Bernie Sanders. It is one of the only opportunities to do that on any policy item. So is it resonating with the entire electorate in a big way? I'm not too sure about that. But she is definitely sort of honing that message to try to build a bit of a firewall if Iowa and New Hampshire do go poorly.

BERMAN: It's interesting because she really did seem to be looking beyond Iowa and New Hampshire for much of this debate, you know, draping herself in President Obama is part of that. You talk about minority votes.

Let's look at South Carolina for one thing. You know, the South Carolina African-American, poll of African-Americans with FOX News, 82 percent. Hillary Clinton is at 82 percent, Bernie Sanders is at 11 percent. That is a big gaping difference right there.

ROMANS: Wow.

BERMAN: And that explains why the Clinton campaign in essence is looking past Iowa and New Hampshire. Two of the whitest states in the country, Eric.

BRADNER: Right. Absolutely. I mean, that's Hillary Clinton campaign's argument. Look, Iowa and New Hampshire are set upper perfectly for Bernie Sanders sane. If there are any two states that he can win, it's Iowa and New Hampshire. The Clinton campaign has big structural advantages pretty much everywhere else because the Democratic electorate is -- doesn't look like Iowa and New Hampshire, right?

But Sanders' argument last night was basically everyone else will like me when I win. He is seeing Iowa and New Hampshire as opportunities to sort of change the narrative everywhere. He thinks that he will get a big bounce nationwide if he were to win those two contests. And that's sort of the worry if you're Hillary Clinton at this point. That Iowa could sort of snowball. Right? So the Clinton campaign is definitely not giving up on Iowa. She's going to spend three days there this week. But she definitely is sort of looking to set up if Iowa and New

Hampshire go badly, what next sort of scenario, where she can lean on a much stronger minority population in other states to really help her out.

[04:10:02] ROMANS: Eric Bradner for us in Charleston, South Carolina, this morning, bright and early or very late for you, I'm not sure which. Thanks so much. We'll talk to you again a little bit.

BERMAN: I think the winner of the debate are the drapes.

ROMANS: I know and --

BERMAN: Behind Eric Bradner there. You know, fresh from 1978 right there. It's a victory for the '70s. Eric Bradner.

ROMANS: There's a little bit of South Carolina charm on the chair and the sconce on the wall.

BERMAN: Yes. No doubt probably a scent from the 1970s.

(LAUGHTER)

ROMANS: All right.

BERMAN: All right. Happening now, three Americans freed by Iran in a prisoner on their way home as international sanctions are lifted giving Iran new access to the world market. Live team coverage breaking it down next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Breaking overnight, three Americans released as part of a prisoner swap with Iran. They have landed in a U.S. air base in Germany, one step closer to home. "Washington Post" reporter Jason Rezaian, Marine veteran Amir Hekmati, and Christian pastor Saeed Abedini.

Less is known about two other men Iran just released, Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari. His captivity had not been previously reported. And student Matthew Trevithick whose release was not part of this exact prisoner swap per se.

For the latest let's bring in CNN international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen. He is live for us at the Ramstein air base where these prisoners just released, these Americans, now are.

Fred, what's the latest now this morning?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it certainly was an odyssey for them to come here from Tehran. I can tell you, John, I was covering all of this yesterday and what happened was they took a Swiss government flight first of all from Tehran to Geneva and then took another flight to the Ramstein air base here in Germany and then made the short drive to where I am right now, to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center which is one of America's biggest military hospital outside the U.S.

[04:15:17] It's a world class facility. And what's going to happen right is over the next couple of days they first of all are going to get medical treatment most probably both physical as well as psychological.

You'll recall the reporting that we did especially in Jason Rezaian's case, there was a lot of concern about his health with his high blood pressure. Was he getting his medication there in the Evin Prison which is known as being one of the toughest detention facilities in all of Iran. A very, very bad place to be. And then of course the "Washington Post" was also saying that he was in solitary confinement for a very long time.

Amir Hekmati, for instance, in prison for four years in Iran. So all the three men are going to be evaluated both psychologically and physically. And then -- and this is probably just as important -- they are going to be reunited with their loved ones, with friends and family. A lot are already flocking here to the Landstuhl Medical Center, coming in from America.

And Jason Rezaian, apparently had a phone call with the "Washington Post" where he told his managing editors that he was, quote, "in very good spirits" -- John.

BERMAN: A lot better today than he was yesterday. But at this point, no contact with their families yet? It's still all phone conversations? Any idea how long this will take, Fred?

PLEITGEN: Well, Jason's case is a very specific one, John, because Jason actually had both his wife and his mother with him when he departed Iran. They had been in Iran during the entire time and then they were with him on that Swiss government flight that took him out of there. Amir Hekmati, we know that his family are on their way to the Landstuhl Medical Center right now. Not clear whether or not they have actually already gotten here. It's very possible that they are already there.

But for most of them, a lot of it was phone conversations after they got out and now in the next couple of hours during the course of the day is when they are going to be seeing their loved ones again. But also of course a lot of their supporters who have been keeping these cases in the public eye are also going to be here to greet them, to be with them as this recovery process takes place and then obviously to go with them when they finally get back to the U.S.

BERMAN: And Fred, after all the ups and downs and twists and turns, every metaphor you can imagine here and cliche in these negotiations, it all almost fell apart with the plane on the tarmac.

PLEITGEN: Yes. Yes. Yes, it certainly did. And that was one of those bizarre twists that we found out about. Because remember that we had heard about the three men getting released on Saturday afternoon Iran time. But then it took a very long time for that plane to leave the ground. It was about 16 or 17 hours before that plane actually left. And apparently there was an issue with the flight manifest where the name of both Jason Rezaian's wife and Jason Rezaian's mother were apparently not on the manifest.

There are some who say that it might have been Iranian authorities who were making the process difficult. Apparently it took a call from Secretary of State Kerry to the Iranian foreign minister, Javad Zarif, to sort all of this out. He said listen, we have a deal. You guys have to stick to the deal. Javad Zarif then sent four of his people to the airport to get those four Americans or three Americans to get them, to get that plane rolling and make sure that they were able to depart.

BERMAN: Remarkable, remarkable story. The good news is these Americans who have been held prison in Iran for so many years in some case, they are now free.

PLEITGEN: Yes.

BERMAN: Soon to be reunited with their families if they haven't been already.

Frederik Pleitgen for us at the Ramstein air base in Germany. Thanks so much, Fred.

ROMANS: So this morning as corporate offices open around the world, Iran is fully re-joining the global business community for the first time in decades. The International Atomic watchdog agency had certified that Iran has taken steps that make it harder to develop a nuclear weapon.

In exchange, Iran will now be able to sell its oil on world markets, join the global banking network and have billions in assets unfrozen.

CNN international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson standing by live in Vienna with the very latest. And from oil to I guess caviar to all kinds of different products, suddenly you're going to see Iran a player on the global stage again.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: We are and their plan is to up their oil output and of course that's coming at a time when oil prices are at a long time low. That will be a concern for other oil producers in the region. Of course that's not going to happen overnight. Iran needs a huge amount of investment in their oil sector. For decades, equipment hasn't been updated. There are efficiencies that they can make.

The president of Iran yesterday in a speech said they'll also be putting money in the aviation sector because vital repairs to planes haven't happened because Iran has been under sanctions. They haven't been able to get equipment that they -- that they need. Iran's domestic airline sector has a very, very poor safety records. So the president of Iran actually highlighting that as one of the issues that they would be -- that they would be diverting funds to in short order.

[04:20:11] But Iran is not out of the woods yet. The U.N. nuclear watch dog chief is in Tehran today. He's meeting with the Iranian president and others there. There is a robust inspection facility. 24/7 monitoring of Iran's nuclear facilities. New equipment that the IAEA, the U.N.'s nuclear watch dog will have the gamma ray detection equipment that's been developed over five years. We've been to see it in the labs here in Vienna.

That sort of equipment will be going into place and will make sure that Iran continues with its compliance and therefore doesn't get a slap back on those sanctions and the freezing of assets that have -- that they've just got access to over the weekend -- Christine.

ROMANS: All right. Nic Robertson for us live this morning in Vienna with that part of the story.

Secretary of State John Kerry will be on CNN later this morning to talk about the nuclear deal and the freed prisoners. That's on "NEW DAY" at 8:00 a.m.

John, I'm sure you'll be on for that.

BERMAN: Yes. I'll be talking to the secretary at 8:00.

ROMANS: Right.

BERMAN: For any ideas, any questions you want to ask him, go ahead and tweet me, @johnberman.

A state of emergency in Flint, Michigan. Water there contaminated with lead. Could this crisis now lead to criminal charges? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:25:19] ROMANS: Flint, Michigan, getting some help from an unexpected source during its ongoing water crisis. Cher is pitching in. She has donated nearly 200,000 bottles of water to Flint following the discovery of lead contamination in the drinking water.

Meantime the Michigan attorney general is investigating to determine if the crisis warrants criminal charges while residents want the governor to answer for it.

We get more from CNN's Sara Ganim.

SARA GANIM, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John and Christine, the people of Flint continue to demand answers for how this happened and why it took government officials so long to act. There was a rally here in Flint on Sunday where residents were alongside the Reverend Jesse Jackson demanding more accountability and the resignation of Governor Rick Snyder.

It was Snyder's administration that decided to switch the drinking water source over to the Flint River in 2014. And documents show that state officials knew that lead levels in the water were high long before they did anything about it.

Now remember, this had gone on for nearly two years before the National Guard came in with bottled water and filters for the residents. Now on Saturday, President Obama declared Flint's water situation a state of emergency but officials here are now also looking into something else. There's a possible link between a spike in Legionnaires' cases, a water-borne bacteria, and a rise in cases here in Flint.

Ten people died in the two years where they were drinking Flint River water. The cases nearly quadrupled from the years before. Because of the water borne bacteria, experts tell us they expected this might happen and now they're investigating whether or not it was linked to this water crisis -- John and Christine.

ROMANS: This story has been such an appalling failure of government to serve its constituents, quite frankly, and to protect them. Lead contamination. We've spent a generation getting lead out of our gas and out of our air, out of our paint because lead lowers IQ, raises developmental issues for children. Sometimes you don't notice it for years. I mean, it could have ramifications for a couple of generations.

BERMAN: Yes. And this was a choice. This is a government choice.

ROMANS: To save a little bit of money.

BERMAN: That they made.

ROMANS: They have now burdened themselves for the next hundred years.

BERMAN: All right. This came up, by the way, at the debate last night.

ROMANS: Yes.

BERMAN: Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, they sharpened their attacks on each other. This was the last debate. The last face-to-face match between these candidates and before the first votes will be cast. So who came out on top? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)